Center for Work and Family Life
The Center for Work and Family Life (CWFL) is open and available to help USC faculty and staff with mental health-related concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have highly-trained clinicians available to discuss employee well-being, stress, anxiety, and other behavioral health issues.
The phone lines are open, and Center staff members are currently scheduling remote session appointments by Zoom and teleconference for any staff, faculty, their families, and retirees. The CWFL office number is 213-821-0800 (staffed 24/7). Your call will be answered, and an appointment will be scheduled with a CWFL staff counselor.
At CWFL, we are dedicated to helping to maintain a balance between employees’ personal and professional lives. As the university’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP), we provide a confidential resource for work-life balance, performance, relationships, behavioral health, and career development. This is a free service for faculty and staff at USC.
Campus Support & Intervention
Campus Support & Intervention (CSI) is an office within the Office of Campus Wellbeing and Crisis Intervention. CSI staff members assist students, faculty and staff in navigating complex issues. Whether you are seeking support for yourself or someone else, CSI staff members are available to help you problem solve, understand options and connect with resources. Please note that the department is not an emergency resource and is not available 24/7. In case of an emergency, please contact the Department of Public Safety at 213-740-4321.
CSI staff members connect with members of the USC community when they need support in achieving their academic, professional and/or personal goals. Staff can provide consultation over the phone to learn more about your individual situation, provide guidance and help you connect with relevant campus and community resources.
If you would like to get in touch with a CSI staff member, email uscsupport@usc.edu or call (213) 740-0411.
Care for the Caregiver (for Keck Medicine of USC employees)
As our health care team continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, their families also face unique challenges. Our Care for the Caregiver emotional well-being program not only provides support to our staff, but it also offers resources uniquely tailored to their families.
In collaboration with the Department of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences, as well as the Center for Work and Family Life, Care for the Caregiver has brought together a wide range of emotional well-being resources designed to help the families of our team cope with the stress resulting from having a loved one deployed to the COVID-19 frontlines.
Services include stress management webinars, drop-in Zoom support groups and workshops provided by licensed clinicians and a telephone support line. Our Care for the Caregiver program is here for you and your family to offer support during these challenging times.
Any health care worker or family member over the age of 18 can call (323) 865-9897 to receive free, informal telephone support. It is an opportunity to discuss stress you are feeling from working on the front line, working remotely, juggling the demands of family and work, fears of exposure, being quarantined, the inability to see loved ones and other topics. This is intended to provide empathy and guidance, not formal psychotherapy. Our team is available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Trojans Care for Trojans
Trojans Care for Trojans (TC4T) is an initiative within the Office of Campus Wellbeing and Crisis Intervention that empowers USC students, faculty and staff to take action when they are concerned about a fellow Trojan challenged with personal difficulties.
This private and anonymous request form provides an opportunity for Trojans to help a member of our Trojan Family.
Note: If you are concerned about someone who has experienced sexual/gender-based harm, please contact the confidential services at Relationship & Sexual Violence Prevention Services (213-740-4900). If you would like to report an instance of sexual/gender-based harm, you can contact the Title IX Office (213-740-5086).
Each TC4T submission will be reviewed and responded to by a staff member from Campus Support & Intervention (CSI) within the Office of Campus Wellbeing and Crisis Intervention. For more information, contact CSI at (213) 740-0411.
Lifestyle Redesign: USC Occupational Therapy Faculty Practice
The USC Occupational Therapy Faculty Practice provides Lifestyle Redesign interventions for USC employees via telehealth. In working with an occupational therapist in Lifestyle Redesign, employees have the opportunity to address their physical and mental health in a supportive environment.
Our occupational therapists engage clients in goal setting, problem solving and self-analysis so they can create habits, routines and an overall lifestyle that is customized to their personal needs and preferences.
If you are experiencing challenges in managing your physical health, mental health and/or daily routines due to the lifestyle disruptions resulting from COVID-19, please call us at 323-442-3340 or email otfp@med.usc.edu.
Office of the Ombuds
The Office of the Ombuds is a safe and confidential place to share any USC conflict-related issues and concerns. The term “ombuds” may be unfamiliar as it originally stems from a Swedish word, “ombudsman.” Essentially, ombuds are designated “neutrals” who facilitate the informal resolution of conflict. The ombuds at USC are trained by the International Ombudsman Association and operate under the pillars of confidentiality, impartiality, informality and independence.
Ombuds will work with you by impartially listening to your concerns, providing neutral perspectives, brainstorming possible options, weighing strategies, identifying relevant policies and resources, and providing conflict and communication coaching. Additionally, the ombuds can provide conflict management assistance by facilitating conversations and mediating issues.
If you would like additional information, please visit our website. To make an appointment with the University Park Campus ombuds, please call (213) 821-9556 or email upcombuds@usc.edu. To make an appointment with the Health Sciences Campus ombuds, please call (323) 442-0382 or email hscombuds@usc.edu.
Please note that we are not an emergency resource and are not available 24/7. In case of an emergency, please contact the Department of Public Safety at (213) 740-4321.
Mindful USC
Mindful USC is a service from the Office of the Provost with a mission to empower the USC community to make positive change in the world by building a culture of mindfulness and compassion. It offers ongoing training, practice groups and more.
Download the Mindful USC app to practice mindfulness, learn more about mindfulness classes and activities, listen to guided meditations and participate in mindfulness challenges.
Additional Mental Health Benefits
- Employees enrolled in the USC Trojan Care EPO and USC PPO have access to Lyra Mental Health, which provides care for mental/emotional health at no cost. For more information, visit lyrahealth.com or see ‘Coping with the Coronavirus Epidemic.’
- Employees enrolled in the Anthem HMO and MyChoice Anthem HMO should contact their health care providers to see what mental health care options are available.
- Employees enrolled in the Kaiser Permanente HMO plan have access to mental health and wellness services and support. See kp.org for more information.
- All employees should check the weekly Gateway Connect email and the front page of the Employee Gateway for regularly scheduled mental health breaks/opportunities offered by a variety of campus entities.